Browsing through this stuff really gives a feel for what was going on in the business! I had no idea that shaft drive versus chain drive was still a big debate, nor that there were so many versions of shaft drive available!
Another aspect is just a look at the culture and idioms. In the days of high wheel bikes, they were often just called "wheels". Hence the term wheelmen and such. Interesting that bikes are still called "wheels" after two same-sized wheels were the standard. I guess it takes a while to drop some conventions... and maybe I should quit calling my bikes "ten speeds"??
Honestly, this sort of thing can be a black hole for my time. When I was in college, I'd look for a quiet spot in the library to work on homework, and then get distracted by whatever books were nearby. One such book was a compilation of "Cycling" newsletters. These dated from the 1880's or so, and were titled "Cycling" so as to include trikes along with bikes. Fascinating reading! I recall one road test of rubber tires. These were the basic solid tires that had a wire core to attach them to the rim. You'd think that this sort of technological improvement would be appreciated, but the reviewer didn't like them.... they were slower than the steel rims. Nice to know that it's not just me that rebels against "unnecessary" technological changes.
Steve in Peoria
(I actually do still have one bike set up with just 10 speeds)